Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 28, 2025
"Father," I said, "the Danes have taken the king." "Then must I bide here, and pray and scheme for his release." Now I knew not how to tell him all, but at last I said: "Eadmund the king has escaped from the hands of the heathen." At that the bishop looked long at me, judging perhaps what I meant, by my voice.
I have been Jarl Lodbrok's friend, and have fought by the side of Halfden, his son, as these tokens may tell you. As for the rest, that is for yourself alone, Jarl. For I have no good tidings, as I fear." "Who is this man, then, and why cries he thus in terror?" "Beorn, falconer to Eadmund, King of the East Angles," I said.
But there was no need to say more, for the long camp life had sharpened Eadmund's ears to aught unusual. Now I heard the bar of the door thrown down, and Eadmund came out with a cloak round him and his sheathed sword in his left hand. "Redwald friend what is it?" he said. "Even what we have feared, my prince," I answered, looking at him. "Where has the blow fallen?" "At Sandwich.
And then Streone's eyes lit on one Osmer, a warrior of the Danish host, standing near him, and he saw that he was like our king. Therefore he slew him, and set his head on a spear, and rode forward to where the English line pressed most hardly on the Danish ranks. There he raised the head aloft, shouting in his great voice: "Fly, English, fly! Eadmund is dead. Know his head!"
And the Mercians broke and fled before us, and the Danish line unbroken rolled forward and swept us into flight, for our men knew not what they could do. Then I pointed to Ashingdon hill and cried: "We can rally yonder!" And Eadmund gainsaid me not, but groaned, and called to his men, and we got together and faced round, so that the Danes drew back a little, as men will when a boar turns to bay.
"Come with me and we will speak of this matter to Eadmund himself. Then will the business be settled at once." That was all I would wish, and being willing to speak yet more with Raud, I said I would follow. He turned again, and looked no more at me. Then I asked Raud of his brother, and of Thoralf, my other companion of flight. They were both slain, one at Gainsborough and one at Medehamstede.
So we rode to Thetford, and how we were received there is no need for me to tell, for I came back as it were from the dead, and Egfrid after years of absence. And there with Eadmund were my father and mother, and Eadgyth, and Lodbrok, and Egfrid's folk also, with many more friends to greet us, and the king would have us keep Yuletide with him.
When we came to Colchester town we heard that Eadmund was yet at Thetford, and when we asked more we learnt that Lodbrok was there also with my father. So, because Hoxne was but twenty miles or thereby from Thetford, both Egfrid and I were glad that our way was yet together, and we would go there first of all.
"Why, what should the king think of Olaf but that he has been his best friend?" "The earl tells me that he has heard that Cnut will offer Olaf some under-kingship if he will take his part," I said. "I cannot tell how he has heard that," Eadmund said, and he looked puzzled. "By your spies in Cnut's court," said I. "We have no spies there. I hate spying," the Atheling said. "What means he?"
Two days after this the Danish host followed in the track of Eadmund and his flying levies: but Egil stayed in command of the ships, and I with him. I had not seen Cnut, but Egil had spoken of me to him. "I have heard of Redwald of Bures before," the king had said. "What know I of him? I think it is somewhat good." "He nearly got Emma the queen out of England," Egil had answered.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking